


Vladimir Duckula, the Prodigal Son 2

by MinaGermany



Series: Vladimir Duckula [2]
Category: Count Duckula
Genre: Vladimir Duckula
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27776182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinaGermany/pseuds/MinaGermany
Summary: While Vladimir Duckula settles in his old home again and he finds an ever deeper friendship with Count Duckula. He also talks about his time as a foster child in Germany. For him what ended the time of the eternal struggle for survival, instead he now learned what it is like to live in a family. Add to that a family that consisted of mortals, again a completely new world opened up for the little vampire duck.To explain in German, "Nanny" is called Emma. In time I left it with Emma.
Series: Vladimir Duckula [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031967





	1. New home "Flat north" from Germany

This day was Count Duckula, very unusual for him, rather bad  
mood. He went around in a circle so that his cloak shrank behind him.  
"How did my lord sleep?" asked Igor.  
"Bad. Very bad!" answered the count irritably.  
"Oh, how enjoyable!" whispered Igor.  
Count Duckula gave him a sour look.  
"Have Mylord dreamed of how he got in necks ..." Igor didn't get any further.  
"NO! I haven't! I'm angry! Denying a family to a child! What meanness is that? What kind of  
Insolence! "Igor did not understand.  
"Vladimir ... they didn't allow him to come back then! What a bottomless insolence towards Duckula to allow yourself such a thing! To take away your offspring! Just ... just to pay us back! I mean ... what could Vladimir do for it !? " Count Duckula didn't seem to want to calm down.  
"Where's Vladimir now?" Igor asked politely.  
"Upstairs in his room, playing the violin ... he said he always does that when he wants to process something." Count Duckula considered.  
"Maybe he's right, there's nothing to be upset about - it only damages blood pressure ..."  
"Oh my lord. That you care about blood pressure."  
Count Duckula slapped his forehead and groaned. "Oh Igor!"

Vladimir only came down for a while. He looked more relaxed. "How is Vladimir? Is it better?"  
Vladimir nodded. "It's going quite well."  
"Does the young man want something to drink?" Igor asked conscientiously.  
"Thank you Igor ... but just a little glass. Nothing more." Igor seemed happy about the fact.  
"It's nice to have at least one real vampire back in the house."  
"It's nice that you enjoy it, Igor. Since I never want to be one!"  
"You will never be able to deny your origin, my lord." Igor replied cheerfully.  
When the butler was gone, Vladimir and Count Duckula watched him go. "What do you mean Vladimir, am I a vampire or not?" He frowned. "I think it depends on what makes a vampire so special for the individual. If you make it dependent on drinking pure blood ... clearly no. If you make it up based on your abilities ... Yes."  
"What skills?"  
Vladimir grinned and leaned forward. "Let's compare the two of us through a test or two?"  
"Which?" Count Duckula crossed her arms. "Which of us is faster? Do you have a stopwatch? We're running  
both a few laps around the castle. Let's see who is faster. Do you accept the challenge? "  
He called her on.

A short time later Vladimir was the first to start. Igor with a stopwatch in his hand. Emma as a witness. Which, however, she didn't really understand. "Well, 10 laps around the castle as agreed."  
"Igor counted off." 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... go! "  
Vladimir ran as fast as he could, counted the laps and braked when he was through with the 10th lap. Igor noted the time. "A good performance, young sir."  
"Thank you, Igor ... you do what you can. Now it's your turn, Fridolin."  
"Fridolin ... Bläh!"  
"Spare yourself the comment, count!" the count asked him.  
"As you wish ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ..." And Count Duckula ran so fast that you could only see a cloud of dust.  
Vladimir crossed his arms and nodded contentedly. Now in this case, his brother was more of a vampire than himself!  
When Igor looked at the stopwatch, he noticed that it was only a fraction of Vladimir's time.  
Vladimir patted Count Ducklua on the shoulder, "Well in this case, one to zero for you!"  
He raised an eyebrow. "I think the phone just rang ..." It was a lie, but part of his plan.  
From one moment to the next, Count Duckula had disappeared in the middle of a small flash of lightning - only to reappear in the same way.  
"No phone rang at all? Why did you lie to me, Vladimir?"  
Vladimir looked at him with a challenge. "Two to zero for you?"  
"How ... what do you mean?"  
"What you just did, I can't."  
The count considered.  
"So when it comes to the characteristics of a vampire, now it's between the two of us at the moment. But only because I feed on blood."  
The count did not like this victory at all. He didn't want to be the vampire in the house!  
"But you're stronger than me ..."  
"In the case two to two." confirmed Vladimir.  
"And your saliva makes wounds close!"  
Vladimir looked at Igor questioningly. "Is that a special characteristic of a vampire?"  
"No, young man. To be honest, I heard it from you for the first time."  
"So it doesn't count," he said to Count Duckula. "As I said ... it's a matter of perspective. Which of us is the more real vampire!"  
"If I may express my opinion, it is you, Young Sir Vladimir." Igor commented on the whole thing.  
"Thank you Igor." This time it was meant by Count Duckula honestly.  
"Well ... I don't want to limit being a vampire to drinking blood alone." Vladimir replied. "I find that  
Thoughts ... humiliating. "  
"I know who you are. Duckybootz and our chick Flea!" Nanny replied. The two vampire ducks looked at each other. While Igor started to argue with Emma over the name of the young gentlemen, Vladimir and Count Duckula looked down at the village.  
"Do you already know that there are two of us?"  
"I don't know, the relationship between us and the villagers ... is ... very tense."  
"You don't know you're vegetarian?"  
"I don't know ... if you don't know ... or if you just don't want to know?"  
As they went back into the castle, the count came up with the question. How was Vladimir doing in the village? How had they received him? Would he have any advice to improve the relationship here?  
"I don't know if you can compare it ... their opinion here has been shaped for centuries. For the people with me back then, it was something completely new, although I have to say that in general you fear what you don't know ..."

*

Northern Germany 1948

They had only been home a few days when Karl received a visit from the village mayor. The latter invited him into the living room. The first conversation was about how happy they were that he was still alive and had returned. And that they were also looking forward to opening his practice again.  
"Give me some more time ... I have to fix everything. I am missing a lot ..."  
"Take your time, boy. You also have to recover from your exertions. We are all so happy that you are still alive!"  
Their conversation went over what had happened over the years, who had died, who had disappeared, how the women and children had fared. When it became quiet between the two men for a moment, the mayor came up with another topic. One, as Karl suspected, would come sooner or later.  
"I know that people sometimes tell crazy stories, maybe even more so after everything that has happened over the years ... but Karl ... please don't think I'm crazy ... it is rumored that you brought a vampire with you." The mayor laughed. "May also be where you finally came from!"  
Karl leaned back in his chair. "No, I didn't bring a vampire with me."  
"I knew it ... all fantastic things, please excuse that I asked ..."  
"He's not a vampire, he's a bastard vampire."  
The laugh stuck in the man's throat. "Karl! Please don't make stupid jokes!"  
"I do not do."  
"You went crazy! I can't explain it otherwise ... totally freaked out ... poor boy after everything you've experienced it's no wonder."  
"I'm neither not crazy. Ask Martha. Vladimir is in the kitchen with her and helping with the household."  
The mayor's mouth remained open, he rubbed his hair. "Even if there was anything true about it, I had to explain to you that it is insane! Such a being would be a danger to all of us!"  
Karl couldn't help laughing. "Vladimir? He's more at risk than the others." He got up "I think I have to go to the kitchen and get Vladimir so you can get to know him. He ..." Karl stood at the door. "... he has problems with the doorknobs - he can't get them."  
With that he went out and left the amazed mayor at the table. He went to the kitchen where Vladimir was standing on the kitchen table while he was drying the plates.  
"Martha ... I just have to kidnap your little kitchen boy." Vladimir looked at him questioningly. He was wearing a little white shirt that Martha had sewn for him. Vladimir was particularly proud of it, as it was the first item of clothing in more than 40 years. With this he distinguished himself again as a special duck.  
"Is it because of the visit?" asked Vladimir. "I heard you talk ..."  
"Our little Vladimir, listens like a ... vampire ..." He took him in his arms. "Yes, it's because of him. I think it's better if you get to know each other now that you live here with us."  
When Vladimir was carried into the living room, he noticed a look that couldn't have been more funny. A mix of  
Stunned, horrified and an impending laughing fit. "A duck!"  
"A vampire duck to be precise." Karl put Vladimir down on the floor. Now its small size became even clearer: "May I introduce it to you, Vladimir! The" Great "threat to the population!"  
The mayor stared at Vladimir stunned, what he saw in front of him was a being, which might have the size of a 2 or 3 year old child.  
Since the man had apparently lost the language, Vladimir held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Vladimir Duckula."  
The next moment Vladimir wondered if this man had really listened to him. He bent down to him and started talking to him in baby language. "Yes, you are a little sweeter ..."  
Vladimir made an insulted face. "I'm already 12 years old! I'm not a little chick anymore!" replied indignantly.  
Karl laughed involuntarily at the sight of both.  
"Vladimir really isn't a little chick anymore, even if he looks like that."  
Vladimir snorted.  
"And if he means 12 years, it's 120 years for us. For him, it's 10 years, 1 year."  
"Indeed ..." The mayor was amazed. "... then I apologize to Vladimir. My name is Albert Bruns". He sat up and looked at Karl. "May I ask if Vladimir is already grown up?"  
"I think no. He still has the plumage of a young bird."  
"You have to know."  
Then the mayor turned back to Vladimir. "Say little one. What do you feed on?"  
Vladimir knew that this was a catch question. "Blood. I'm hunting mice and rats." he replied truthfully.  
"Rats? Is that pretty dangerous for you? I mean ... a rat is very defensive?"  
"It is not without risk," said Vladimir. And he thought of how many times they had jumped and bitten him. You had to be very skillful to hunt them. And it was actually not without risk. Especially if you were a duck. "But I've learned it throughout my life." Vladimir finished his sentence.  
The vet nodded. "Vladimir can do it, and quite well."  
"What if he grows up, what will he hunt for?"  
Karl had expected this question sooner or later. "Well, for the first it grows very ... very slowly. For the second, as a veterinarian, I have enough options to feed him. In the camp, he helped me by licking the wounds, which then closed."  
"Really? All right ... then welcome Vladimir!"  
With that he said goodbye. Vladimir went back to the kitchen, but not without stopping to listen to the conversation between the two men at the door.  
"If there are no complaints about Vladimir, no one can prove an attack, I will put my protective hand over him."  
"Thank you."  
"And if you need Documents for him, get in touch, I'll see what can be done."

For Vladimir, this was a completely new life, a new world. Not just the fact that he lived with mortals, but also the circumstances. They didn't have much like everyone in the time, but they shared what they had. When Martha gave him the shirt, Vladimir had tears in his eyes.  
During that time Vladimir mostly played in the garden, chased mice, ran (accompanied by his new foster parents) across the fields, helped with the household. If time allowed, he was taught reading, writing and arithmetic.  
Vladimir's days were filled, and not just with the struggle for survival. It was good that he was allowed to be a child again.  
Some time later, Karl reopened his practice. Some resources were still missing, but it did it as well as it could. If somehow Vladimir helped him. He was watched with curiosity, some of them were delighted by the little guy. Others were suspicious of him. Karl simply advised Vladimir to overlook this and  
stay friendly. "It's best if you want to convince people. There's nothing better than that."  
One day an elderly lady came in with her dog, her aversion to Vladimir was all too obvious because her face spoke volumes. Vladimir felt hurt, but Karl's gaze simply advised him to leave the room.  
After treating the dog, Karl gave the woman a medication and a small piece of paper that he had written. "Here is a note of what she had to consider."  
Thankful but reserved, she accepted the note. Vladimir, who looked out the window, looked sadly after her.  
"Don't worry about it, flea. I wrote her a recipe."  
"What does that have to do with me?"  
"Wait it out ... if I have to, I'll give everyone this recipe along the way."  
Vladimir looked at him questioningly.

A few days later, the woman came back, rang the doorbell, apologized to Vladimir, and gave him a ball. Vladimir looked at her in amazement. What happened?

Vladimir discovered the secret of his question a few days later, a notice that hung in the message window of the municipal offices. Vladimir had to be lifted up to read it.

How do we want to be seen? Everyone wants a chance no matter what has been in the past. Everyone deserves this!  
Let us give others this chance, no matter what. Then they are given to us in the same way!  
Peace only comes when you find a new beginning! With ourselves - and with what is foreign to us.

When he had read the words, he ran his fingers over the glass. Now he understood what had happened. He turned to his foster father and smiled at him. "Thank you!"

When winter slowly came into the country, Martha Vladimir knitted another sweater, a small jacket, and a hat and scarf.  
Vladimir could hardly believe his luck. In general, that he could wear clothes again after all these years, which characterized him as an extraordinary duck. Even the shirts that he got little by little delighted him immensely. Even if his foster mother thought that it hardly made any effort for her, because the little material that she needed for it was given as leftovers that you would otherwise throw away. I pleased her with the little guy who hugged her every time.  
Her husband had been right, vampire duck or not. Vladimir could warm your heart.  
Slowly ... slowly he got in touch with the other children in the village.  
It helped him when he found out that he wasn't the only one who had lost parents and home. He was not alone with his grief. So for Vladimir was shared suffering, half suffering.  
However, what caused problems was its small size. Because the children who matched his aging were much taller and didn't take him seriously at first. But this also subsided quite quickly, Vladimir showed a lot of courage and strength, which impressed her. When the first snow fell, they wanted to build a snowman with him. Vladimir had no idea what that was all about. He couldn't imagine anything like a "snowman"  
and asked them if they meant a "snow monster". Which made everyone laugh.  
"You really don't know what a snowman is?"  
Vladimir shook his head.  
"I think you still have a lot to learn ..."  
When he rolled snow globes with them, they were again impressed, since they were much larger than himself. Finally, they looked at the work.  
Two pieces of coal as eyes to put the nose in Vladimir was lifted up so that he could use the carrot.  
One of the girls put stones in her mouth. During this time, one of the boys broke off two small, pointed branches and stuck them as canines into the snowman's face. "Now it's true!" he grinned at Vladimir.  
"A snowman monster ... a vampire!"  
Vladimir crossed his arms and snorted. The other children laughed at the sight of him.  
"You are so funny, flea!"

The day before Christmas Eve, Vladimir met other members of the family. Karl's mother (the father had died in the war) and Martha's parents came to visit. Valdimir held back a bit and watched them first  
Distance. Whereby he stood almost shyly next to his new parents.  
Karl leaned down to him. "Why so shy, Vladimir?"  
Vladimir sighed. But didn't really know what to say. It was one thing to call Karl and Martha Papa and Mama, but would they accept him as a "grandson"? He was a duck and a vampire too.  
Martha took him by the hand and gave him a gentle shove. "Now we would like to introduce our little Vladimir to you."  
All eyes were on him. There was an awkward silence for a moment.  
Karl intervened. "A lot of people owe their lives to this little guy. Because they didn't let him go home, we took him in."  
Martha smiled and stroked Vladimir's head. "Charity shouldn't end with your own kind."  
So they went into the house.  
Here the parents got to know Vladimir better during the day. He was polite, helpful, and ... he was acting like a kid. Vladimir was somewhat astonished when Karl and his father-in-law carried a fir tree into the living room and then he was no longer allowed to enter it. And completed this. Vladimir looked questioningly at his foster mother.  
"This is part of the tradition. You can only get in again for giving presents.  
Karl will ring a bell when the time comes. "  
Vladimir frowned. He hadn't quite understood the meaning yet, but he decided to be surprised. He now lived among mortals and with them many things were so different. They did so mysteriously during this time ...  
So Vladimir was in the kitchen with his new mother and helped prepare for the Christmas dinner. It was very humble. Drawn from the time of hunger. But since Vladimir didn't know all of this yet, it was quite big for him. Only in the course of the years should he get to know much bigger Christmas celebrations. But this was his first.  
Martha's mother and mother-in-law were amazed at the eagerness of the little vampire duck to help. How curious he watched everything and was on hand when it came to work. Little by little they warmed up for this little creature.  
He wasn't even that different from a normal child, only that he had feathers and flippers - and canines.  
One question, however, unsettled Vladimir.  
"The best gift this year is that we got Karl back alive. We can thank the Lord for that."  
Vladimir considered. Karl had told him that it had to do with the Christmas story that his foster father had told him about.  
"I am infinitely grateful for that," Martha resumed the thread of conversation. "I got my beloved husband back. And I even got a son."  
She looked down lovingly at Vladimir.  
"And?" Asked her mother-in-law to Vladimir. "Will you come to Christmesse tomorrow?"  
Vladimir's beak remained open. Fear grew in him, a fear that didn't really come from himself. It was deeply rooted in him, from all his ancestors. He backed away.  
Martha smiled wistfully. "He is a vampire ... I think ... this is too much for him."

The next day it became even more mysterious for Vladimir. He smelled the fresh fir in the living room and candles.  
Karl and his father-in-law brought a small box into the living room. And his foster mother told him that they would decorate the tree now. Because he was so restless, the women decided to go for a walk with the little ones. Vladimir had so many questions on his mind, but all the new impressions concerned him so much that he hardly  
there were also only a few of these questions to ask. It was cold and snow covered the ground, but Vladimir came  
Winter mild before. He was used to worse through all these years in the wild. The season had threatened death there, and would not have sought protection from a wolf pack.  
Eventually, at some point, they went home with him because Holy Mass was about to begin.  
"Can you leave Vladimir alone?" one asked his foster parents.  
But they trusted him, even if Karl decided to take the key to the good room with him for security.  
Vladimir sat in the kitchen for a while and turned on the radio. This technical achievement kept captivating him. He got up and sucked in the smells. He did not know what the individual tasted now and yet it was fascinating for him what all the smells were. And what mortals made of it. Finally he got tired, turned off the radio and lay down in his cot.  
It felt like he had been sleeping for hours when a gentle voice woke him up. "Vladimir ... Vladimir ... wake up ... we are back ..." Vladimir turned around and looked sleepily into the face of his new mom. She smiled at him. "Get up little darling, the Christ child was there."  
Vladimir sat up wearily and followed her. The parlor was still locked, but his foster father stood in front of it with a bell and rang it, now Vladimir was allowed to enter the room again ...  
What he saw was indescribable for him. He saw a decorated Christmas tree lit with many small candles. The light from the candles made the jewelry shine and shine. He had never seen anything like it. There were a couple of packages underneath. For each one and one bore his name.  
Vladimir carefully opened this ... what he found was a crocheted teddy bear.  
Vladimir stood speechless, he felt tears in his eyes. He, a vampire, had actually got a Christmas present! This  
Teddy was all alone for HIM!  
He turned with the teddy in hand and fell into his foster parents' arms. "Thank you."  
He couldn't get any more out of it.

After the gift giving, the family sang Christmas carols together.  
Vladimir could hear the happiness in their voices that they had Karl in their midst again.  
Would it be like that when he came home? That same evening, he was sitting on his lap with his new grandfather  
while reading it from Herman Melville's book "Moby Dick".  
At some point Vladimir's eyes closed more and more. So his foster father carried him back to his bed. Vladimir clutched his new teddy in his sleep.  
Finally he was just allowed to be a child again, which he was after all.  
"We hadn't imagined our first grandson with feathers - or with canines. But we have to admit ... he's a wonderful boy."  
Vladimir heard these words softly as he fell asleep.

*

"It was the first Christmas present in my life."  
"The teddy ... is it the one you still have?"  
Vladimir nodded. "He and my violin are my most valuable possessions."


	2. You have to learn to use your senses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vladimir notices that Count Duckula's vampire senses are stunted, so he decides to teach him them again.

A beautiful day was approaching, and in the morning Count Duckula announced that he would work in his vegetable patch. Vladimir, on the other hand, wanted to look around the library for some old documents to research. He took Igor with him.  
"What documents were you thinking of, young sir?"  
"Deeds, maps of land and so on. I want to  
know what is still in Duckula's possession. Not only the castle, but also the country, the forest and the village. I want to know how far our family has been affected by the wave of expropriation. "  
"I am pleased that you are so interested in it!" Igor replied happily.  
"I want to know where I am."  
"How gratifying! You want to know how far your power extends!"  
"Probably not so much Igor ... but rather that of my brother, the count."  
With this they went into the rich library of the Duckulas.  
Vladimir had forgotten how big the library was, luckily Igor was there, he would have been hopelessly lost.  
"Very well, Igor, bring me all the documents about our possessions that you can find."  
Very soon Vladimir spread them all over the table one by one.  
The first directories were from the 12th century, the last entries and the last map from the 16th century.  
Vladimir examined them. Until then, the property had grown steadily. "And there is no news?"  
Igor shook his head. "To my regret, no, young sir."  
Vladimir let out a low whistle. "It is not particularly up to date, I have to say."  
He thought. "I think my brother should ask what it looks like at the moment."  
He looked at Igor. "Do you know anything about expropriation in our family?  
I mean, you just have to look at the castle to see that we are impoverished nobility. "  
Igor just sigh. "Herr Graf doesn't care about anything like that."  
Vladimir also closed his healthy eyes a little and looked at Igor sharply.  
"Don't put everything on my brother. He's not back long!"  
"They are back here much shorter and take care of such matters that are due to an inheritance of their descent." Igor defended himself.  
"They are not in the garden and take care of ... um ... vegetables!" Igor pronounced the latter with disgust.  
"Well I don't see anything reprehensible, Igor. We Duckulas are simple landed gentry, not nobility.  
Such behavior was normal for landed gentry in earlier times. "  
"But you're not just anyone, you're the last offspring of a long line of noble vampire ducks!"  
Vladimir sigh. "I think what is not normal for us is our staff." he whispered more to himself. The butler had either ignored this remark or simply ignored it. Because he just kept talking. "Your brother neglects all his duties!"  
"Now I am wrong to give you Igor ..." Igor thought he had already won when Vladimir continued. "... but the question remains, what should he do?"  
"Well ... he could go down and take care of the villagers!"  
Vladimir rolled up the documents and handed them over to Igor so that he could put them away again.  
"It is the duty of a gentleman - I cannot contradict that."  
Igor beamed. "So we agree with each other?"  
"I can't say Igor ... I think we both have to clarify what we mean by that ..."  
Vladimir stopped talking in the middle of the sentence. He suddenly felt as if something was wrong ... the feeling made his feathers stand on end. He bowed his head and listened. Igor wanted to say something, but a rather imperious gesture by Vladimir forbade him. Then he went to the window, opened it to look out.  
Vladimir listened again, frowning. There was a sound that couldn't really be classified. It reminded him of something he had heard before, but there was none at all  
Sense! That irritated him. Igor wanted to say something again, but Vladimir snorted threateningly he really looked like a vampire. There was something in the air ... what Vladimir didn't like ... what made him feathers let stand up. "What do you have, young sir?"  
Vladimir looked at Igor in punishment. Downstairs Vladimir heard his brother happily talking to the vegetables ...  
Without even paying any attention to Igor, Vladimir raced past him, ran through all the rooms, ignored Emma, ran to the grand staircase ... and slid down the site. Then he heard his brother's cry for help. Before a second cry was even spoken, Vladimir raced up.  
Someone was standing over his brother and threatening him with a stake, just above his heart.  
"Heeeelp ......!"

Vladimir made another attempt to jump. With a large sentence he pushed the attacker away from his brother, pushed him to the ground and then stood over him. Vladimir glared at the obviously confused man and started roaring as furiously and loudly as he could. It applies to that of an adult tiger. The guy below trembled.  
"WHO ARE YOU?!" Vladimir hissed at him.  
Count Duckula had got up by now and brushed the dirt off his clothes.  
"This is Dr. von Goosewing." The distinguished voice Igor came behind Vladimir.  
"From Goosewing?" asked Vladimir, hissing at the person below himself. "Is this a descendant of the guy who killed my mother?"  
"Quite right, young sir."  
Vladimir saw Dr. von Goosewing again sharply, growled and then climbed down from the vampire hunter.  
The latter seemed to be recovering slowly from his shock. "I'm still alive ... I'm still alive ..."  
"That's how it looks ..." Vladimir snorted. "You should just be the same Experience fear like my brother. "  
He looked over at his brother. "Everything OK with you?"  
"Yes ... that was at the last moment, he almost caught me!"  
Whereupon Vladimir turned back to the vampire hunter. "NOBODY and I emphasize NOBODY bends a feather for him!"  
Dr. von Gänseklein still had to recover from the shock so that he hardly listened to what they said. He looked confused, which wasn't unusual for him, but the sight of two ...  
"Wait a moment, I just have to clean my glasses ... I think I'm wrong. I see two!" When he put his glasses on there were still two.  
"Yikes! There ARE two! Which of you two is Duckula !?"  
"I!" it came out from both beaks at the same time.  
"Oh no! Two duckulas! My Formula 1 vampire destroyer can't do that!"  
Count Duckula bent down and picked up the gun from Gänseklein’s gun. "Do you mean that thing?"  
"Yes ... yes ... handle it carefully."  
Count Duckula let it fall down the rock. "Oops ... but you can't use it anyway. You said it yourself."  
Vladimir grinned broadly at the words.  
"Duckula! You monster!"  
"Wait ... who was just trying to kill someone? And who didn't hurt you? Although I could do it with ease? Who is the monster here, Dr. von Goosewing?"  
"I tried to kill him that's right! I am the monster! Wait… what am I saying."  
Vladimir nodded to his brother. They both grinned.  
"YOU ... you two are the vampires!" Dr. improved from goslings quickly.  
"Sure ..." Vladimir approached him threateningly. Dr. von Goosewing wanted to run away, but was stopped by Igor. "... and I give them my promise. If you even bend a feather to my brother,  
I'll pluck your feathers one by one. One after the other! Until you look like a roast goose - understand? "  
"What a fun thought!" Igor was delighted with anticipation.  
At that moment Dr. rid of goslings.  
"Aaaarrrrgggg! I'll be back! I'll catch both of you !!!!" he screamed.  
He probably wanted to walk down the path from the castle, but missed the direction.  
"Dr. von Goosewing! This is the wrong one ..." He was already falling. "…Path." added Count Duckula.  
He looked behind the rock, Vladimir stood next to him. "I think it was! He's gone."  
"No, he's tough - he's coming back."  
"Do you think so?"  
"Certainly, he has done that many times."  
Vladimir looked down. "Amazing ... I think I still have a lot to learn."  
Igor stepped behind them. "Would you really pluck him?" Igor asked expectantly.  
"I definitely wouldn't let it matter ..." growled Vladimir.  
Only now that everything was over did the harried Emma appear.  
"Are our two chicks okay? You screamed?"  
Vladimir and Count Duckula both turned slowly, fear terrible things.  
The next moment she picked them up and hugged them tightly.  
"Don't worry, your Emma is already there…." Count Duckula and Vladimir tried desperately from theirs  
Free hug. Which was more like a vise.  
"Let her go, Emma!" commanded Igor. "What Dr. von Goosewing has not achieved, you can do it! Let her go!"  
Both landed panting on the floor. "They're not your chicks, Emma ... they're our masters!" Igor  
turned to them. "If I regret it too." he added quietly.  
"We heard that, Igor!" came Count Duckula's warning.

They went back to the castle, Igor and Emma leading the way. The two duckulas after.  
"Say, Fridolin, didn't we have more staff in the past?"  
"Better not ask, you will regret the answer ... I asked you, Vladimir. And I regretted asking. Yes, we had more staff - but only Igor and Emma were left."  
Vladimir watched them go into the castle. "One thing you have to give them ... they have persistence. How long is Igor in our service?"  
"He said that he has served our family for almost 800 years."  
"For real?" Vladimir stopped. "The only question left is WHAT he is? No vulture gets that old!"  
Count Duckula also stopped. "That's a very good question Vladimir ..." They strode into the castle.  
"I noticed downstairs in the basement that Igor is a fan of black magic." remarked Vladimir thoughtfully. "It's no secret, Vladimir. Otherwise he couldn't have woken me up."  
"Also agrees again."  
Since Igor noticed that he was being spoken to, he turned to them.  
"I have always been a loyal servant of the Lords of Duckula. Without me, you would have died out long ago! I have always awakened her ... and unfortunately the last time was unfortunate ..."  
"Jaaaaa Igor. We know it. You have told me enough times. I am a shame for the gender of Duckula." the count interrupted him.  
"Oh, my lord, I'm so sorry about this mishap."  
Count Duckula crossed her arms. "I feel good the way I am!"  
"As a son of the Duckula family I can say something about this - I think you did a very good job, Igor!" Igor didn't know whether to groan or growl as his two gentlemen walked past him.  
"Both misguided ..." he said to Emma.  
"But Mister Igor. There are two magnificent drakes. Duckyboos and flea ... "  
"Oh Nanny ... oh Nanny ..."

"The guy is always after me ... he wants to ruin my life!" complained the count.  
"He doesn't just want to ruin you. He wants to kill you!" Vladimir crossed his arms.  
"He has tried everything, he wants to stake me, shrunk me, set me traps, wanted to commit a murder." "He is a vampire hunter, his ancestors were already."  
"That's what Igor meant before ... he said that if I took my role as a vampire, everything would be fine!" "Seriously?" Count Duckula nodded.  
Vladimir closed his eyes, thought that he leaned forward and looked at his brother sharply.  
"Then you should become one!" Count Duckula was horrified. "Not YOU too!"  
Vladimir raised a hand "No ... listen to what I have to tell you first. I didn't mean that you have to become a bloodsucker. Being a vampire is so much more!"  
Count Duckula looked at him questioningly, "As a vampire you have to learn to hear more like others, to feel more than others. You have to feel what is going on around you, not only where there is a possible prey, but where there is a danger. What do you think, how did I survive out there, 40 years in the wilderness, where there are enough beings that a vampire duck can quickly wipe out? If you have learned this, then a Dr. von Gänseklein cannot do it either threaten more so easily. Because you are faster than him! You already know when he comes! And you can learn THAT too. " He tapped Count Duckula's beak. "Vegetarian or not THAT doesn't matter!" Count Duckula considered. "Can you teach me?"  
Vladimir grinned. "I wanted to hear THAT from you!"  
He grabbed the count's hand and pulled him with him. Past the amazed Igor, whose face was a question. "I want to teach him to be a real vampire ..." explained Vladimir.  
Words that Igor loved to hear. "So there you are! Finally come to your senses!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.  
"May I bring you some blood?"  
"Yes, Igor. I would be grateful… but bring it up… we're on the tower!"  
"On the tower, my lord?" Igor heard no answer, the two had already disappeared.

Once at the top, the two saw across the country. The view was beautiful and very wide. Vladimir took a breath and closed his eyes.  
It was so nice to be back home. Yes, this was his home! Here he was born ... it was his home. He felt like he had to say every breeze, every smell, every sound, never to  
to forget again. Finally he took a deep breath. "Close your eyes Fridolin ... what do you hear?"  
Count Duckula did it. "I hear the wind." "Good. What else?"  
No answer, first of all. "How does the wind sound? Do you hear it break on rocks? Do you hear how he whistles around the castle? Can you hear him roaming the forest and making the trees rustle? " Count Duckula nodded. Even if he couldn't confirm everything Vladimir heard.  
"I hear the whistle around the castle around the rock ... what else do you hear, Vladimir?"  
Vladimir concentrated. "I hear the people down in the village ... I hear ... how the mice roam the castle ... they tripple. I hear ... how Igor and Nanny talk."  
"Wow!" exclaimed Count Duckula.  
Vladimir ran his eyes gently. "Close your eyes ... and no tell me what you smell I smell the forest, it smells like Moisture ... it will rain soon ... I can smell the old walls of the castle. "  
"You're right, Vladimir! It really smells like rain!" pleased Count Duckula.  
"And you can smell the lock too! It's easy."  
"Good ..." Vladimir interrupted himself. "Igor is coming." Shortly afterwards the trap door opened and Igor came up with a glass of blood, which he wanted to offer the count. Before Igor could say anything Vladimir took the glass from him and drank it. "Thank you, Igor, I haven't eaten anything today."  
That was obviously not what Igor had expected because his face showed disappointment.  
"I thought you wanted to teach my lord to be a vampire?"  
Vladimir nodded. "As I said, being a vampire is more than drinking blood. And now I want to teach my brother some of that. "  
"May I watch?"  
"Why not, Igor? You are welcome to watch." the count replied gently.  
"Good ... then close your eyes again. Try not to think about anything ... I know it's hard ... and also try to keep your body calm. Even if I know that this is very difficult for you  
is ... just listen. "Vladimir waited a moment." Good. I say now I am listening and you try to do it too. Describe what you hear ... well ... I hear ... the squeak of a hinge.  
Do you hear it too? "Shake your head.  
"Okay ... then something different ... I hear ... like Emma down in the kitchen ... um ... sings."  
Count Duckula concentrated. Finally he nodded. "I hear it ... very quietly ..."  
"How does it sound?"  
"Nasty! Like a rusty teapot." Igor laughed.  
"Good ... I can still hear the thunderstorm rumbling, which way is it coming from?"  
"I do not hear anything."  
"Relax ... don't pressure yourself ... try again ... it just thundered ... do you know where it came from? "Vladimir's voice almost drove Count Duckula into a trance.  
He had never seen anything so strange. It was as if his body, his senses were expanding.  
"Don't worry ... that's perfectly normal." Vladimir seemed to feel his anxiety.  
"So again ... I feel the tension of the storm ..."  
"It is in your feathers." Duckula whispered.  
Igor's nerves were tense, he watched his reign closely.  
"Good. Very good. That's how it feels. And the thunder came from where?"  
Count Duckula wanted to open his eyes, but Vladimir wiped over it.  
"Keep your eyes closed. Just show which direction the  
Thunder came. "Duckula pointed in the direction." Almost correct ... but very good! "  
Igor was thrilled. The wind got stronger, the first rain came.  
"Good ... that's it for today." Vladimir pats his brother on the shoulder.  
"It was a start. But I think it's better we go in now. Otherwise we'll be swept away by the castle." Vladimir was happy with his student.  
"Do you want to learn to hunt him like this?" asked Igor as they went downstairs.  
"Who talks about hunting, Igor? It's about survival. Although I admit has to be used for hunting. "  
"Who taught you, Vladimir?"  
"Nick ... the gentle way. The wilderness the hard way. It just said, either you can now, or you die." Count Duckula shuddered. Again he admired Vladimir.  
And Igor couldn't suppress a certain pride either. Vladimir was a real duckula! Even if he didn't have the cruel nature of it. Rather, it had a ... hideous gentleness!  
He had the potential of a true Duckula - not like his lord the count. Vladimir seemed to feel his thoughts. Because he gave Igor a knowing look and shook his head firmly.  
"If you had stayed with us ..."  
Vladimir made a face. "Maybe it was better that it didn't happen?"  
He preferred not to think about what would have happened to him if his upbringing had remained entirely in Igor's hands. Inwardly he thanked Nick and his foster family the Janssen's.

*

"Vladimir, don't you really want to come to the confirmation class?"  
They had a visit, the pastor of the village since the children of the Janssen soon attended confirmation classes should come.   
Vladimir was sitting in his chair, which had been built especially for him, so that he could sit at the table with the children Frank and Jutta next to him. Vladimir shook his head. The pastor knew the reason. Vladimir shied away from entering the church rooms, which was probably due to his vampire heritage.  
"It is your decision, Vladimir. I would like to have you with me." Vladimir shook his head again.  
"All right ... as you like. But I would like to tell you something, even if you probably won't understand it now." Vladimir looked at the man questioningly.  
"Everything that happens to you in life has a reason somewhere. Regardless of whether we understand it or not. There is a reason for your life too. "Vladimir's eyes were questioning.  
"As you are now, little Vladimir, I could imagine that there is a task waiting for you. Maybe you are needed just as much to help someone else? Who knows?"  
Little Vladimir really couldn't imagine what this man was trying to tell him at that moment ...

*

…now.  
"Igor seems to admire you." Count Duckula tore Vladimir out of his thoughts.  
It took Vladimir a moment to be back in the here and now. "Might be…"  
He turned to his brother. "... but I admire you!"  
"What…?" Before Count Duckula could go on, Vladimir explained his words. He bowed to his brother. "I admire your cheerful nature, your zest for life, I admire  
your optimism, I admire how you don't let Igor's words influence you, no matter what he says to you or "throws you in the head".   
I admire the fact that you are vegan! And I admire that you have no canine teeth ... you don't believe what I would give for not having one anymore. And therefore…  
Count Fridolin Duckula ... you can count on my eternal loyalty. I always swear to help you and to be there for you. So I'm Vladimir Duckula! "  
Count Duckula was so surprised that he was completely speechless, which did not happen to him too often.  
He also bowed. "Thank you, Vladimir. And ... I'm grateful ... that my old self is one such a son. "The two brothers just looked at each other.


	3. The Violin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vladimir loves to play the violin and his brother loves to listen to him. One day he asks him how he got his violin? And this is a story of its own.

Count Duckula sat reverently in his armchair and listened to his brother play the violin. It was good to listen to these sounds after  
Igor had annoyed him again with his blood-sucking ancestors. Vladimir played softly and with dedication. As if he were her  
stroke. He seemed enchanted, as if he were in another world at this time.

When he finished, he lowered the violin, looked briefly at his brother, and seemed to stroke his violin again with his hand before he  
put them on the table. "You haven't told me how you got the violin yet, Vladimir."  
"Right." Vladimir looked up.  
"You are very attached to this violin, young sir." Igor noticed.  
"Also true."  
"It was beautiful, flea."  
"Thanks Nanny." Vladimir bowed to her. Then he turned back to his brother, Count Duckula. "Then I want to tell you how I got the good piece. And it is true ... it means a lot to me. I have the feeling that we were waiting for each other. She called me ... and I fell for her. But I am for it I am very grateful to her. "

  
Northern Germany 1962

A newcomer had moved to the village. Vladimir had heard about it. It had become his habit to visit all the new ones around himself  
because he thought it was better than being stared at one day.  
Vladimir had heard that this man was a music teacher, which made him particularly curious. So he strolled slowly to his house.  
He also passed Uncle Jan's yard, Vladimir made a little detour there, he saw him in the yard.  
"Moin, Vladimir… well, do you want to help me again?"  
"Moin Uncle Jan ... no desire!" Vladimir made a face.  
Jan had to laugh. "And what are you up to, flea?"  
"I want to visit the new one."  
"Do it, little flea ... he's currently at home - you can hear the piano."  
"I know ..." answered Vladimir somewhat sourly. As if he couldn't hear it better than mortals! So said goodbye  
Vladimir and went on. If he didn't know exactly which way to go, the music would have told him.  
Vladimir hesitated for a moment in front of the house, went to the window and tried to look inside. He couldn't see very much.  
Then he went to the door and stretched himself until he could reach the bell.  
It took a while for the door to open. A middle-aged gentleman opened it - and only looked over Vladimir.  
"I'm down here." noticed Vladimir.

"Oh ... yes, please excuse me." The man looked a little surprised.  
"I wanted to introduce myself to you, I'm Vladimir Duckula."  
"Vladimir ... I've heard a lot about you. You are known here like a" colorful dog ", but I didn't really want to believe it."  
"Well, there's not much of my kind." Vladimir replied.  
"Of course ... oh forgive my rudeness, please come in. My name is Mathies Jonas."  
"Jonas ... like the one with the whale?" noticed Vladimir.  
"You know the story?" Vladimir shrugged. "A little bit."  
He gladly accepted the offer and went inside, smelling of fresh Frisian tea and wooden furniture.  
"Can I offer you something to drink, kid?"  
Vladimir looked at the man in astonishment. "Better not."  
"Oh ... oh ... I'm sorry. I think it's a somewhat catchy question." The man rubbed his hair. "I heard you're a vampire?"  
"Yes." Vladimir didn't want to say more.  
He was led into the living room where there was, among other things, a piano.  
"And I was told you were a music teacher?" said Vladimir. Mathies confirmed this. Vladimir approached the piano curiously and looked at it. "Do you only teach piano?" he asked.  
"Not only." He watched Vladimir's curiosity and offered to sit down at the piano. Vladimir climbed up on the chair and  
tried to play the instrument. "My father had an organ ..." he remarked "... but I don't know if he could play it. I can't remember. Was too small when he died."  
"Did your father die long ago?" Mathies asked carefully.  
"Jaaaaa ...." Vladimir tried to play the keys, but he didn't really succeed.  
"I'm afraid your hands are too small for that."  
Vladimir tried again anyway. But it was as if his attention was distracted, as if there was a magent somewhere that magically attracted him. Almost as if he was being watched by someone ... He turned around slowly and saw an old glass cabinet. Vladimir rushed down from the chair and headed for it. It was a display case and there were several instruments in it. But only one thing attracted him, seemed to speak to him. A violin.  
Mathies didn't miss his look, "Do you like her?"  
Vladimir just nodded, he couldn't speak, he just couldn't do it ... "An old children's violin ... beautiful, isn't it?"  
Vladimir just nodded again.  
"It dates from 1818 and is said to have belonged to an old noble family - but no one knows that exactly."  
Vladimir involuntarily winced. "She is as old as I am ... and I also come from a noble family."  
Now it was Mathie's Jonas Vladimir's eyes to stare at. "You were born in 1818?"  
"Yes ... I will soon be 144 years old."  
"And you come from a noble family?"  
"Yes ... my father was a count, so simple country nobility."  
"Gosh!" Mathies had to sit down first. He was still watching Vladimir. "Do you want to hold her?"  
Vladimir nodded eagerly. Mathies took the violin from the showcase and handed it to Vladimir. This touched her carefully and lovingly.  
"Can you play the violin?" Mathies asked him.  
"Unfortunately no, I never had time for something like this ..." Vladimir looked at the man. Should he tell him that he spent most of his life  
had been concerned with survival?  
"Would you like to learn it?"  
"Very much ..." Vladimir held the violin to his chin and stroked it.  
"I'm afraid it's a little too big for you, Vladimir."  
"Don't worry ... I'm still growing." Vladimir replied dreamily….

  
... a few hours later, Vladimir ran home. The doorbell rang excitedly and attacked his foster mother with the words. "I have  
seen a violin! And I know it's mine! I want to have her! Mathies also offered to teach me! I want  
please have this violin !!! "

"A violin? Do you have any idea how expensive such an instrument is, Vladimir?" Karl asked him in the evening when he was told his wish.  
Vladimir answered no. "And she's your age?" This time Vladimir nodded. "Built in 1818, I was born there!"  
Karl had to sit down on it first. "One thing is clear ... she will have her price ..." He sighed and looked at his wife.  
Vladimir soon looked at him imploringly. "Pleaaasssse!"  
"Vladimir ... flea. I didn't say I didn't treat you to it. I really care where we got the money from."  
His foster parents looked at each other. "Let's think about it, Vladimir." Vladimir got up and went out of the kitchen to his room.

  
"Have you ever seen him like this, Karl?" Martha said thoughtfully. "I've never seen such passion in his eyes."  
"Neither do I." "Karl ... he was so undemanding all the years. While our children always want something, Vladimir makes no demands at all. He is happy about everything ... and if it is such a small thing. But now this violin ..."  
"Vladimir has experienced a lot. When I met him, he had to survive 40 years in the wild before he was in the prison camp - with me. I think that shaped him. Everything we give him is a great gift for him But just like him now from this violin  
talks ... "He considered." ... I will come up with something. I have never seen him like this. "

  
Vladimir was on his bed, his piggy bank in front of him. He had been getting pocket money for a while, just like Frank and Jutta. However there was  
very rarely something. So he had saved a little something. He opened the piggy bank and counted the coins ...  
... the very next morning he ran to Mathies Jonas  
and rang the doorbell. "Moin. I want to buy the violin!"  
This still had his dressing gown on. And looked sleepy. "Vladimir ... come in first."  
Vladimir literally ran in and put all the money he had on the kitchen table. "All my pocket money, everything I have ... and  
I'll give you my future pocket money too! I want to buy this violin! "  
"Vladimir, you know it's too little, right?"  
Vladimir looked at him sadly. The look softened his heart. "Look, Vladimir, I'll take your money as a down payment, okay,  
so you have the guarantee that I will not sell them to anyone else. But she stays here with me! "  
"You don't sell yourself to anyone else?"  
"Word of honor, Vladimir!"  
"If you lie to me you will get to know the Duckula's ..."  
Mathie smiled. "So you. But you don't have to be afraid ... I'll make you another offer. You get in time too  
Violin lessons here with me. Is that an offer? "Vladimir beamed." But I'll get your pocket money for that. "  
"Done!" Vladimir held out his hand. "On handshake!"  
Vladimir had learned that the handshake here in the north was a contract. "On handshake!"

  
Shortly afterwards Vladimir went home with a big grin around his beak. He went into the house satisfied and sat down  
with the others at the breakfast table. "I bought the violin!" he announced proudly.  
Karl almost choked on his coffee. "Vladimir, weren't you around by the time?"  
"But why not?"  
"You should have learned slowly that not everyone is already awake at such times."  
Vadimir looked at him questioningly, Karl was always up very early. "It's just rude, Vladimir," added Martha gently. "The  
People to visit at this time. "  
"I just wanted to make sure he didn't sell the violin to anyone else." Vladimir defended himself. "And now I have it  
bought! "His foster parents looked at each other without understanding." You don't mean to say you really bought them? Just because?"  
"Well, not quite. I paid them with my pocket money and he promised not to sell them to others until I got them  
paid off. "  
"Vladimir ... do you really know how many years you would have to pay for it?"  
"No ... not yet. But I'm getting old enough ... I think."  
"Maybe you! But neither the music teacher nor you will ever get pocket money for so long. Because then none of us will live."  
Vladimir considered, but didn't come to any real conclusion. "I think I'll go to this music teacher and talk to him about the whole thing." thought Karl. "In any case, it was nice of him not to sell the violin to anyone else ..." added Martha, stroking Vladimir's hair. "Yes! And I even get lessons from him! We're starting today!"

  
A few hours later, Vladimir also appeared with the music teacher. He smiled when he saw him. "You can hardly do it  
expect. "" I just want to start… "  
"It won't go as quickly as you might imagine, Vladimir Duckula."  
"I have time," Vladimir considered. "Unless I'm needed."  
They sat down at the table, mathies Jones pulled out a few books and writing materials for Vladimir.  
"But I'm interested now, Vladimir. What are you used for?"  
"I sometimes help in practice." Vladimir replied. "I do blood tests. It saves expensive laboratory tests."  
"Oh ... tell me. How do you do it?"  
"Well ... I always drink a small part of it ... and then I taste what is missing or too much. It just tastes different.  
If the kidney is not working properly, or the liver, if there is not enough blood plasma, if tumors form, inflammation in the  
Are bodies and such ... you can taste everything. "  
He considered and contorted his beak in disgust. "It tastes awful with tumors or inflammation! I always spit it out!"  
Mathies had to laugh. "Then you can also find alcohol or drugs?"  
Vladimir made a dismissive gesture. "Kid stuff!"  
He thought. "Sometimes I am asked about post-operative care, or about accidents and injuries."  
"What for?"  
"I lick the wounds and they close."  
Mathies was astonished and confused now. "Really? Or do you just want to tell me something?"  
"For real!" Vladimir grinned. "Let me bite you, then I can prove it to you!"  
Mathies involuntarily flinched a little. Vladimir laughed.  
"That was a joke! But not the wound - feel free to ask."  
Mathies nodded. "Honestly I'm going to ask ... that makes me curious." Vladimir just looked at him but didn't answer.  
"I mean," continued Mathies. "I've never heard of a vampire like this."  
"You haven't met many, have you?"  
The music teacher had to laugh. "No. You are the first!"  
"Well ... I'm also a bastard vampire. A mix between mortals and vampires ... I think I've read that I'm too  
could call a Moroi. While a vampire is a strigoi. In any case, it would be possible ... maybe not. I dont know  
I agree. I've been away from home for so long ... that I hardly know anything about it. "  
"And with beings like you, is it normal to heal wounds?"  
Vladimir shrugged. "I do not know."  
"Anyway, I think we should start teaching ..."  
This is how the violin lessons for Vladimir began. Even if the first notes were a bit weird, and this should not change in the shortest possible time, Vladimir was completely there and you could tell that he really gave everything.

  
Vladimir's foster parents noticed a change in him. He literally blossomed and looked happier and more balanced.  
It seemed like there was a deeper meaning in his life again.

  
*

"And was it like this?" asked Count Duckula.  
Vladimir considered. "Somehow."  
"But how could you play the violin, make sense of it, young sir?" asked Igor.  
Vladimir considered and stroked his violin.  
"I think it was because ... I had little hope of ever getting back home. Too much spoke against it. And then I always did  
uncertain whether you still wanted me Igor ... you say yourself that I have not become what you hoped for. "  
"Well sir, I haven't given up hope on you, you're still a kid and…"  
"IGOR" he growled Graf. "Stop that now! Don't forget who said that here in the house!"  
Igor sigh. "Of course, my lord."  
Vladimir watched them closely, wondering if Igor's words of repentance were serious or just fake. Only then did he continue to speak.  
"The violin ... the playing on the violin gave me stability. I was neither too small for it, nor would it grow old as quickly as mortals  
Children. I had just played with them and a moment later they have children themselves. And the older ones who were there for me  
were buried again. Like ... like my foster parents recently. Yes, I think the violin just held me in a world that was changing so rapidly. It somehow made sense to me where I hardly found any other meaning. "  
Vladimir pondered. "I think I was playing the violin for just two weeks. When my foster father came to the music teacher in the evening and wanted to talk to him about the violin and me ..."

*

Vladimir was practicing when the doorbell rang. The music teacher looked at the clock. "I think it's enough for today. You  
can break up ... "With these words he went to the front door.  
Vladimir packed the violin but when he heard the voice of his foster father, he took it out and ran to it  
Door. He wanted to show what he had already learned! But the adults were still chatting, so he waited excitedly and rocking the floor with a fin. "Vladimir, I actually wanted to tell you it's time to go home." Karl turned to him.  
"Please! And a little bit!"  
"All right then…"  
Karl Janssen was asked into the living room. And Vladimir played him in front of what he had already learned, it wasn't much and sounded  
sometimes quite weird, but you could tell that he was trying. He was praised for it, but then again asked the violin  
pack up and go home. Vladimir took a lot of time for this because he just wanted to know what the men had to discuss. After all, it was about him. "I hope Vladimir doesn't bother you too much. I mean ... you live from music lessons and Vladimir's pocket money isn't very much."  
"Let it be, most of the time I am at school giving classes. I also know their children. And little Vladimir  
is somehow something special… "Vladimir grinned to himself, THAT was a pleasure to hear!  
"... I've never met someone like him."  
"Do you mean a vampire duck."  
"Of course that too!" Mathies had to laugh. "But I meant something different. There is so much fire in it for this instrument. Something like that  
I have never seen! It would be an injustice to deny him this. "  
Vladimir put the violin back in the showcase, then went to his foster father and climbed on his lap.  
"I mean ... I felt it ... that violin really called him."  
"Our flea had said something similar to us."  
"Escaped?"  
"That's his nickname ... flea."  
"Flea? - how appropriate. Anyway, I have the feeling that they belong together, he and this violin. It was built in 1818, in this  
Year Vladimir was born, as he explained to me. The violin is said to have belonged to a noble family. You don't know the details. And  
Vladimir descends from one? "  
"That's right," Karl stroked Vladimir over the head. "He is a noble duck."  
"Whatever is there ... anyway, that's why I want him to get it. They just belong together! He and this mysterious  
Violin. "" But I can't give it to you. "  
"He wanted to buy it from me, so not a gift."  
"But already ... his pocket money ... you can't assume that. This violin must be worth a fortune!"  
"Well ... it's not cheap." the music teacher admitted.  
Vladimir feels that the conversation is now serious, and what follows now is already clear to him. They'd send him home, whatever  
happened. He was very reluctant to walk, and as soon as he was outside he sat under the window and wanted to listen. It was no problem for him to hear the conversation loud and clear.

"… I want you to answer me honestly. How much would you get for this violin?"  
There was silence for a moment, although Vladimir was standing outside the window, he hardly dared to breathe.  
"To be honest. This violin is worth at least 8,000.00 Deutschmarks."  
Vladimir had the feeling that his heart would stop in the moment.  
"Is this the real answer?" raked his foster father.  
The music teacher just smiled. "I could give you another price, but I think it would be the minimum price."  
Calm again. "I can't pay you that much for this violin ... at least not so quickly."  
"That is understandable to me. For Vladimir, I go even further down. As I said to you, this violin and he - it belongs  
just together. "  
"Nobody can ask you to just hand over the violin like that. Please give me time to raise as much money as possible  
I would pay off the remaining amount as debt to you. "  
"It is not necessary ... Vladimir will do it."  
"You're kidding! His pocket money ... give me 1 month, then I'll tell you how much to find."  
"Is Vladimir worth you so much?"  
"Much more than you think! I met him in captivity, in Romania. He saved the lives of many without him  
\- there would have been a lot more deaths in that time. "  
"Then it is true what he said - that his saliva can close wounds."  
"Yes! He didn't lie to you about it ... but he's also ... a little rascal ... who still needs a bit of education."  
With these words Vladimir heard Karl get up and went to the door to open it.  
Vladimir wanted to leave the dust, but was caught when he left.  
"Vladimir ... didn't I tell you to go home?" Vladimir was embarrassed.  
"Go now, flea! And be completely calm - I will fix that ..."

  
*

  
"How did you get the money together, I mean ... that's a huge sum. Converted to Transilvanian drachmas ... and then  
at the time. "Count Duckula looked at Igor questioningly. He nodded." A considerable amount, Herr Graf. What we don't  
"Thank you, Igor, for reminding me of this," the count replied cynically.  
"Oh please, you're welcome, mylord"  
"So, Vladimir, how did you do it?"  
"As far as I can tell in two ways, my foster father had raised part of the amount, not immediately, but over time.  
The other part came in through donations. "  
" Donations? How?"  
"Now my foster father was still in contact with some people with whom we were in the camp at the time. A fact that for me still very much  
should be important, he wrote them down and told them about me and my violin. I had saved the lives of some of them. And  
these were the ones who donated something. Everyone as much as he could. Or they kept asking around in the family. In any case, it became mine  
So the violin paid and ... "Vladimir looked challenging at Igor." ... I hadn't behaved that way back then ... I wouldn't have saved lives instead of wreaking havoc ... nobody would have given me anything. I think being good just pays off. "  
Igor grimaced "Good ... bah!"  
Vladimir could only laugh at that. "Igor ... you are and just remain an old vulture!"  
"Anyway, the day I was allowed to take the violin home was a very special day for me."


End file.
